Rathausplatz

Augsburg


The heart of Augsburg’s Altstadt, this large, pedestrianised square is anchored by the Augustusbrunnen, a fountain honouring the Roman emperor; its four figures represent the Lech River and the Wertach, Singold and Brunnenbach brooks.

Rising above the square are the twin onion-domed spires of the Renaissance Rathaus, built by Elias Holl from 1615 to 1620 and crowned by a 4m-tall pine cone, the city’s emblem (also an ancient fertility symbol). Upstairs is the Goldener Saal, a huge banquet hall with an amazing gilded and frescoed coffered ceiling.

For panoramic views over Rathausplatz and the city, climb to the top of the Perlachturm, a former guard tower, and also an Elias Holl creation.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Augsburg attractions

1. Perlachturm

0.04 MILES

For widescreen city views, climb the 70m-tall Perlachturm next door to the Rathaus – when it reopens, that is. At the time of research the structure was…

2. Rathaus

0.04 MILES

Rising above the Rathausplatz are the twin onion-domed spires of the Renaissance Rathaus, built by Elias Holl from 1615 to 1620 and crowned by a 4m-tall…

3. Goldener Saal

0.04 MILES

Located on the 2nd floor of Augsburg's Rathaus, the meticulously restored Goldener Saal is the city's resplendent main meeting hall. It's a dazzling space…

4. Maximilianmuseum

0.07 MILES

The Maximilianmuseum occupies two patrician townhouses joined by a statue-studded courtyard covered by a glass-and-steel roof. Highlights include a…

5. Brechthaus

0.14 MILES

Opened in 1998 to celebrate local boy Bertolt Brecht's 100th birthday, this house museum is the birthplace of the famous playwright and poet, where he…

6. St Anna Kirche

0.14 MILES

Often regarded as the first Renaissance church in Germany, the rather plain-looking (and well-hidden) St Anna Kirche is accessed via a set of cloisters…

7. Dom Mariä Heimsuchung

0.28 MILES

Augsburg’s cathedral has its origins in the 10th century but was Gothicised and enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries. The star treasures here are the…

8. Fuggereimuseum

0.3 MILES

See how residents lived in the Fuggerei before running water and central heating in this museum located in one of the building's apartments.

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